This isn't an anti-rape campaign - it's a disclaimer
Just in case you ever had your doubts (it would be quite reasonable to do so), The Sun opposes rape. Despite what you may think, the raunchy redtop does not condone violence against women. It does not support the spread of violence against women. And that’s why this week the paper has launched its new campaign – exposing the government’s broken promises to provide a 24 hour rape line, and calling for more Sexual Assault Referral Centres.It’s an admirable stand – but the campaign is misleadingly dubbed ‘Stop Rape Now’. This is the first mistake. This isn't an anti-rape campaign - it's much less ambitious than that. While it may highlight the fact that 50,000 women are raped a year, it chooses not to ask why that number is so high, focusing instead on why conviction rates are so low. Isn’t there a horrible complacency about this? Are 50,000 rapes somehow inevitable? Does the problem lie with ineffective prosecutions, rather than those who choose to force women into unwilling sexual activities?
Or is the paper afraid to beckon the real rape debate – to ask why rape is so widely accepted? Is this campaign merely a smokescreen? A disclaimer – as tragically laughable as a ‘How can I be racist, some of my friends are black?’ claim. Do they not realise that they are their ilk are partly to blame for number of rapes?
After all, the fervent feminist won’t find any companionship on the other pages of The Sun. Head over to the gazette’s website and you’re offered the chance of guess the bra-sizes of British babes – ‘Have you got an eyeful for their eyefuls?’ they quip. Or you can watch the ‘My Sun’ girls strip – a perfect present for Valentine’s Day.Meanwhile the gossip pages berate the behaviour of Britney Spears and Amy Winehouse. They lambaste ‘boozy Britney’ for dancing ‘like a stripper’. Other photos show close-ups of the scars on Amy Winehouse’s arm. There’s a snapshot of a bra-less Victoria Beckham. Does the paper not acknowledge that the rapists they berate are driven by this same scornful disregard for a woman’s integrity?
But then again this is a paper which is synonymous with insincerity. Earlier this month their front-page became a pile-driving polemic against racism. Yet the paper’s resident reactionary columnists carried on poking vicious jibes at asylum seekers and religious minorities. Their stance on rape is just as empty. While their campaign page oozes feminist zeal, the rest of their paper is drenched in objectification. This isn't about protecting women - it's about protecting The Sun.
Robert Jackman at the BBC:
19 comments:
Has it occurred to you that rape may have been around before The Sun? Explain that then.
There was a world before media studies you know.
And wtf is an 'MRA'?
I presume the 'M' stands for male - so surely this is objectification?
Rape was around before the sun, the sun has just helped to bring it to the injust state it is today - if there had been anti-rape toned articles and no pictures of naked women in the sun, we wouldn't consider it a contributing factor in why men think of women as fuck-objects - newspapers and the ethos they promote help to underpin the casual throwaway attitude to rape we have today - there are other factors too, but cannot be covered in one blog commment. The sun - we hate it and will always hate it.
I know that Victoria Beckham and her husband David are incredibly popular in the UK. They just came over here to the United States so David could play soccer and now every magazine and tabloid have them on their covers.
Why are they so popular? I admit Victoria is beautiful .. is that why?
There is a new set of pictures and video making the rounds that is supposed to be voyeur footage of Victoria Beckham nude (topless) on the beach. I've read that the paparazzi in England is worse than those here in the United States.
She does looks incredible. If interested look at some of the video dump sites (liveleak, livevideo, etc) to find the video or do a Google search. The video is also currently on http://www.freepornvideos69.com (NSFW).
I believe I've heard that the Beckhams are even hanging out with Tom Cruise and his family now. Strange who knows who.
It's the same old story...'stop rape now' implys that it is 'other' men and that nobody has to take responsibility. 'No means No' so it's those girls changeling their minds again! All women have to do it say 'no' and everything will be ok? What about 'Don't rape, just don't do it.'?
or
If a woman is drunk, don’t rape her.
If a woman is walking alone at night, don’t rape her.
If a woman is drugged and unconscious, don’t rape her.
If a woman is wearing a short skirt, don’t rape her.
If a woman is jogging in a park at 5 am, don’t rape her.
If a woman looks like your ex-girlfriend you’re still hung up on, don’t rape her.
If a woman is asleep in her bed, don’t rape her.
If a woman is asleep in your bed, don’t rape her.
If a woman is doing her laundry, don’t rape her.
If a woman is in a coma, don’t rape her.
If a woman changes her mind in the middle of or about a particular activity, don’t rape her.
If a woman has repeatedly refused a certain activity, don’t rape her.
If a woman is not yet a woman, but a child, don’t rape her.
If your girlfriend or wife is not in the mood, don’t rape her.
If your step-daughter is watching TV, don’t rape her.
If you break into a house and find a woman there, don’t rape her.
If your friend thinks it’s okay to rape someone, tell him it’s not, and that he’s not your friend.
If your “friend” tells you he raped someone, report him to the police.
If your frat-brother or another guy at the party tells you there’s an unconscious woman upstairs and it’s your turn, don’t rape her, call the police and tell the guy he’s a rapist.
Tell your sons, god-sons, nephews, grandsons, sons of friends it’s not okay to rape someone.
Don’t tell your women friends how to be safe and avoid rape.
Don’t imply that she could have avoided it if she’d only done/not done x.
Don’t imply that it’s in any way her fault.
Don’t let silence imply agreement when someone tells you he “got some” with the drunk girl.
Don’t perpetuate a culture that tells you that you have no control over or responsibility for your actions. You can, too, help yourself.
If you agree, re-post it. It’s that important.
-Author unknown.
I think you're absolutely right about The Sun trying to protect itself. Sickening.
Robert, I am terribly confused.
Nowhere on your blog does it tell me you are a Labour blogger yet you are linked to the bloggers for Labour blog.
Come on Robert, if you are aligned to a political party, show it, be proud.
*Stop Rape Now* As long as the victim was pounced on down a dark alley on her way home from Chuch, was stone cold sober, a virgin, she didn't know her attacker and ZOMG was not wearing a short skirt or sporting long hair and make up.
Nay sporting a pulse even.
"Do they not realise that they are their ilk are partly to blame for number of rapes?"
"Does the paper not acknowledge that the rapists they berate are driven by this same scornful disregard for a woman’s integrity?"
Well done Robert. The Scum is merely dressing up titilliation in the guise of concern. It's humiliating for women to see this and a big fat slap in the face.
"But then again this is a paper which is synonymous with insincerity. Earlier this month their front-page became a pile-driving polemic against racism."
The Scum is incredibly racist. And when was the last time you saw a black page 3 girl?
Fanny - sometime in January.
Damn, she was hot.
Shhhhuuuttt yuh muh Fanny blood.
2nd anon - MRA = Mens Rights Activist.
Lots of anons! Very brave for those people wishing to say such things as shut yeh muh fb...worthwhile really!
Anyway, really I wanted to comment because this was another great post Robert. The Sun are ridiculous really aren't they? we're opposed to a culture that we perpetuate - what a head f**k!
I take it the photo of the woman in post is from page 3...? She looks abnormal, which is probably mostly to do with the way she is standing and all the airbrushing and lifting and moving to make her body look like it's 15 inches behind her breasts. I mean seriously, no matter how hard you try it's hard to get away from them, they're practically staring at you. I find this with a lot of pictures of women in papers and magazines, naked ones I mean. They are just breasts. It doesn't matter that they look completely gormless in the face (because she was probably not directed to have a facial expression), wouldn't want to detract from the 'melons', any kind of expression might indicate sentient thought after all.
Okay i'm getting on my soap box now and making generalisation, which is disclaim with tiredness and clipped thinking, like no one else fails to explain themselves fully. I don't hate all men blah blah, not all men are like that i know blah blah. The Scum are though (nice one FB) and The Squirt, they're even worse!
p.s. Robert, this is not shameless self advertising but I wanted to track back to you for my latest post, and trackback doesn't seem to be working for me so i'll post the link instead:
http://graceneedshelp.wordpress.com/2007/02/27/be-a-man-oppose-rape/
also good for any men commenting here who want to support. No trolls, you will be ignored!
Thanks for article!
Thanks for interesting article.
Glad to read articles like this. Thanks to author!
Very interesting article, I have long sought. It is in front of me. I agree with you!
Excellent website. Good work. Very useful. I will bookmark!
Hello! Interesting article, thanks to author!
Post a Comment